It’s Not Just How Fast You Eat — It’s the State You’re In While Eating

Let me share a common scenario. One of my clients ate a balanced lunch most days: protein, vegetables, healthy fats. On paper, everything looked “right.” But she was eating it while answering emails, mentally running through meetings, and rushing to get back to work.

She wasn’t overeating. She wasn’t choosing poorly. But she felt exhausted and foggy every afternoon.

Nothing changed about what she ate. What changed was how her body experienced the meal.

When Stress Is High, Food Becomes a Load — Not Fuel

When you eat in a stressed or rushed state, your nervous system is still in “go mode.” That sends a powerful signal to your body:

This isn’t a safe time to rest, digest, and restore.

As a result:

• Digestion becomes less efficient

• Blood sugar regulation becomes less stable

• Hormones that support fullness and energy don’t work as well

Even if you eat slowly, your body may still process the meal as work, not nourishment. This is why two people can eat the same meal and feel completely different afterward.

The Energy Cost Most People Never Account For

Digestion itself requires energy. When meals are eaten under stress, your body has to work harder to:

• break down food

• move nutrients into cells

• stabilize blood sugar

That extra effort often shows up as:

• post-meal fatigue

• cravings later in the day

• feeling like food “just sits”

It’s not weakness.It’s physiology.

A Small Shift That Makes a Big Difference

Before focusing on eating slower, start here: Change your state before the first bite.

Try this:

• Take 3 slow breaths before eating

• Let your shoulders drop

• Give yourself 10 seconds of stillness

That brief pause helps shift your nervous system toward digestion and energy production.

Then—yes—eat a bit more slowly. But now your body is actually ready to use the food you’re giving it.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Many high-performing, disciplined people assume their fatigue means they need:

• better supplements

• stricter routines

• more motivation

Often, what they really need is alignment—working with their biology instead of pushing through it. This is one of the core ideas we explore in my upcoming workshop, From Burnout to Breakthrough: how small, strategic shifts in food, movement, and mindset can restore energy without adding more rules.

If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel off, you’re not alone—and you’re not failing.

Sometimes the most meaningful change isn’t what’s on your plate, but how safe your body feels when you sit down to eat.